{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Grow Good ","title":"Scaling Through Relationships Instead of Reach: Ben Colvin, founder of Devil’s Foot Beverage","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":2775,"description":"Ben Colvin, founder of Devil’s Foot Beverage, shares how he has built a growing beverage company without following the typical “scale fast” playbook.  Devil’s Foot is a craft soda company that makes non-alcoholic beverages using real fruit and herbs sourced directly from regional farms.\nFrom day one, he made a set of decisions that limit how the business can grow—using real fruit instead of concentrates, working directly with regional farmers, and choosing distribution partners that prioritize relationships over reach. Those choices show up everywhere: in cost structure, in how they enter new markets, and in how they spend marketing dollars.\nInstead of flooding new regions or optimizing for efficiency, they expand by building local partnerships, supporting community organizations, and hiring people who are already embedded in those markets.\nThis episode is a look at what it actually takes to scale a business while holding the line on product quality, sourcing decisions, and how you show up in the communities you enter.\n\nWHAT YOU’LL LEARN\nWhy they chose real fruit and direct farm relationships despite higher cost and complexity\nHow “farm to can” decisions impact margins, supply chain planning, and brand positioning\nThe tradeoff between USDA organic certification and maintaining long-term farmer relationships\nHow they evaluate new supplier opportunities that could lower costs but shift the product\nThe role of weekly leadership discussions in pressure-testing decisions against company standards\nWhy they avoided large-scale distribution early and instead partnered with beer distributors\nHow beer distribution created stronger on-the-ground relationships and better account penetration\nTheir approach to entering new markets through local nonprofits and community partnerships\nWhy marketing dollars are spent in communities instead of on traditional advertising\nHow they hire local operators to build credibility and relationships in new regions\nThe tension between scaling...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/4_W9iNxov8TbmJi0hwOHIXG4gxg89YSz70tugMNyhMg/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9kZjEy/ZjJiMmJhNTdiZTI0/MGU1YzdmNzdmOGZk/ZjlhMS5wbmc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}